Guard-rail brace



Patented Sept. 4, 1923.

Ars

HAROLD G. WARR, or PARK RIDGE, ILLINOIS, AssIGNOR rro 'IHN I a MCOMPANY,l

or CHICAGO, ILLINOIs,A CORPORATION or ILLINOIS.

GUARD-RAIL BRACE.

Application filed August 17, 1921. i Serial No. 493,099.

T all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, HAROLD G. WARR, a citizen of the United States,residingat Park Ridge, in the county of Cook-and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in a Guard-Rail Brace, ofwhich the followingis a specificafrog and to maintain it in a fixedposition' with relation to the outside running rail, by clamping thesame to said running rail.

Such construction is not considered entire-- ly satisfactory for thereason that the thrusts of the anged portion of the wheels against theguard rail and the various.

strains to which the running rails are subjected, during the passing oftraiiic, sometimes result in displacing the guard rail with relation tothe rail frog. i If such displacement of the running rails or frogresults in reducing the distance between the frog and guard rail,derailment of a car Or other serious damage may result from thel angedportion of a wheel striking the point of the frog. With my invention, Iaim to overcome the above and 'otherincidental objections by supportingthe guard rail independently of the outside running rail by means of arigid `bracing structure extending from the rail frog'to :the guard railso as to maintain the guard rail'in a fixed position with relation tothe rail frog and to further provide said'bracing structure with meanswhereby the distance between said rail frog and `guard rail may beaccurately adjusted tol compensate for wearing away of the outer tace ofthe guard rail.

A preferred embodiment of my invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawing,

wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding parts, andwherein:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a portion of a railway track crossing showing aguard rail brace constructed in accordance with-my invention, applied inits operativel position between the rail frog and the guard rail,`andf iFig. 2 is a perspective sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

In the drawing` 10 designates one of' the running rails of a mainrailway track,.11`, 11a sections of the running rail at the oppositeside ofthe main track, and 12, 12a. sections of one of the running railsof another track, for example, a side track, which intersects v the`ruiming rail .11, 11a of the main track. A rail frog of any suitableconstruction is positioned at the point of intersection of the rails sothat the rail sectionsr 11- and 12 will be in alignment with theircorresponding sections 11, 12a.' The` rail frog is designated generally13 and consists of a substantially V-shaped center: structure, diverginglrail* sections 11b, 12".y and spacing blocks 15. The center structureisk positioned between the diverging ends of the rail sections 11b, 12band is secured together by means of spacing blocks 15 and bolts 16. Theouter ends of the, center structure connect with the ends ,of the railsections 11n, 12L and converge at its. other end to 'form the point 141of they frog.-

The rails are vspiked to crossties 17 in the, usual manner by spikes18;y A guard rail 19"'of any suitable form, is likewise secured in itsproper position adjacent the .running rail 10, in which position theportion of the guard rail nearest the inner edge of' the running rail10, should be arranged directly. opposite thehpoint 14 of the' frog.,Iftheg form of 'guard rail employed is the same as that shown in thedrawing, the ypoint 2O of the guard vrail should be on a line drawn othrough the-frog point 14 at right angles to the running railsofthemain` track, soA that the flange of -a wheel rubbing against the point20 of the` guard rail will insure sufficient inwardV movement yof vthewheel. on

the oppositey rail to' provide the desiredA the guard rail out ofalignment with the point 14 of the rail frog, reduces, in effect, thedistance between the frog point and the outer surface of the guard railand thereby increases the danger of the flanged portion of a wheelstriking the point ot the frog. I overcome this objection by avoiding arigid connection of the guard rail with the running rail 10 so that thisrunning rail, under such conditions, may move with relation to the guardrail. In a bracing construction for guard rails wherein the guard railis secured to the running rail by means of clamps or other rigidconnections, displacement of the running rails, tending to reduce thewidth of the track, will move the guard rail toward the rail frog. Thisshifting of the guard rail, and also such other movements as may beproduced by the severe pressures and thrusts to which guard rails aresubjected, are avoided in my invention by rigidly connecting the guardrail to the frog side of the track so that it is, ine'fect, a part otthe rail Jfrog, thereby maintaining the guard rail in a fixed positionwith relation to the rail frog.

The brace structure, as shown in the drawing, consists preferably of aninverted chan-A v nel shaped bar 21 tted over one of the cross ties 17and extending across the track, preferably, on aline drawn through thepoint 14 of the frog 13 at right angles to the running rails of the maintrack. rlfhe ends of the channel bar preferably extend under the runningrail 10 and the frog 13 so as to 'function as nietal wearing pads atthese points. The guard rail 19 is located adjacent the running rail 10in its proper position with relation to the point 14 of the rail frogand is secured to the channel 21 by means of a. brace casting 22 orother suitable fastening device adapted to hold the base flange 23against an upturned abutment 24 formed on the channel bar. The bracecasting is preferably formed to t the contour of the base flange 25 andvertical web 26 of the guard rail, and is bolted to the web ot the railand to the web 27 of the channel bar by bolts 28, 29, respectively. Theends of the guard rail may be att-ached to the cross ties 17 in anyapproved manner, for example, by spikes 30. The :trog structure at theopposite side ot' the trackway is secured to the channel bar 21 preferAably with means for effecting an adjustment of the channel bartransversely ot' the track so as to permit the position ot the guardrail to be accurately adjusted when applied or when it is necessary toshift it to compensate for the wearing away of its outer surface. In thedrawing, I have shown this connection as consisting of wedgeshapedclamping plates 31 formed with angularly disposed lips 32 which overlapthe bese lianges of the rail sections 11, 12, andv adapted to be drivenbetween said base flanges and a plurality of abutnients 33 formed on theweb 27 of the channel bar on opposite sides of the frog structure. Theclamping plates 31, 31 are preferably formed with a plurality of squaredholes 34 and the channel bar is formed with relatively long slots 35, 35so that the plates 31, 31 may be driven to their wedging positions andsecured in such position by means ot spikes 36 driven into the cross tie17. The outer end of the channel bar, adjacent the running rail 10 isprovided with slots 37, 38.y through which the spikes 39, 40 for therail 10 are driven into the cross tie.

By using a lcross brace, channel shaped in cross-section, the verticalflanges 41, 41 rigidity the brace so as to make it practical to useachannel bar having a relatively thin web 27, whereby the abutments 24,may be conveniently formed by slitting the web 27 of the channel bar, asindicated at 42, in Fig. 2, and then extending the tongue portion of theslits upward. The `flanges 41, 41 also rigidity the brace memberadjacent the rails so that the portion of the channel bar interveningbetween the upper face of the cross tie 17 and the base flanges of therails will not be bent upward by the heavy pressure of the traliic..

In the drawing, I have illustrated my invention in connection with amain trackway, though it will be obvious that the frog 13 may, ifdesired, be connected to the guard rail ot the side track by extendingthe end 43 ot the channel bar or by providing a separate brace structuresimilar to that shown in the drawing.

I claim:

1. The combination with a frog structure, of a railway track and a guardrail arranged adjacent a running rail at the opposite side of the trackwith capacity for relative movement of said guard and runningrails, ofmeans for securing said guard rail in xed position with relation to thepoint of the frog so that said running rail may move without disturbingthe position ot. sai-d guard rail with relation to said frog and so thatlateral movement of the guard rail imparts a corresponding movement tothe frog structure.

2. The combination with a frog structure of a railway track and a. guardrail arranged adjacent a running rail at the opposite side ot' the trackwith capacity for relative movement of said guard and running rails, ofmeans for securing said guard rail in txed'position with relation to thepoint of the frog so that said running rail may move without disturbingthe position of said guard rail with relation to said frog and so thatmovementfof either the guard rail or frog structure imparts acorresponding movement to the other@ 3. The combination with a frogstructure ot a railway track, and a guard rail arranged adjacent arunning rail lat the opposite side of the track with capacity forrelative movement of said guard and running rails, of means for securingsaid guard rail in fixed position with relation to the point of the frogcomprising a rigidifying member movable independently of said runningrail and extending transversely of the track and secured to said guardrail and frog structure.

1L. The combination with a frog structure of a railway'track and a guardrail arranged at the opposite side of the track, of means for securingsaid guard rail in fixed position with relation to the point of the frogcomprising a rigidifying member movable independently of said runningrail and extending transversely of the track and secured to said guardrail and frog structure with capacity for adjustment.

5. The combination with a frog structure of a railway track and a guardrail arranged at the opposite side of the track, of means for securingthe guard rail in fixed position with relation to the point of the frogcomprising a rigidifying member extending transversely of the track,means for seeuring said guard rail to said rigiditying member. and meansfor adjustably securing said rigidifying member to said frog strueture.

6. The combination with a frog structure of arailway track and a guardrail arranged at the opposite side of the track, of means for securingthe guard rail in fixed position with relation to the point of the 'frogcomprising an inverted' channel-shaped rigidit'ying member adapted to befitted over one ot the cross-ties ot the track-way, and extendingtransversely of the track, means for securing said guard rail to saidrigiditying member. and means for adjustably securing.

said rigidifying member to said frog structure.

7. The combination with a frog structure of a railway track and a guardrail arranged at the opposite side of the track, of means for securingthe guard rail in fixed position with relation to the point of the frogcomprising an inverted channel-shaped rigidi't'ying member adapted to befitted over one o the cross-ties of the track-way and extendingtransversely of the track on a line through the point of the frog atright angles to the running rails, means for securing said guard rail tosaid rigidifying member, and means for adjustably securing saidrigiditying member to said frog structure.

8. The combination with a rog structure of a railway track and a guardrail arranged at the opposite side of the track, of means for securingthe guard rail in fixed position with relation to the point of the frogcomprising an inverted channel-shaped, rigiditying member adapted to betted over one of the cross-ties of the track-way and extendingtransversely of the track at right angles to the Arunning rails andintervening between said cross-tie and the running rail, guard rail andfrog structure, respectively, means for securing said guard rail to saidrigiditying member, and means Jfor adjustably securing said rigidifyingmember to said frog structure. v

9. The combination with a frog structure ofa railway track and a guardrail arranged at the opposite side of the track, or" means for securingthe guard rail in fixed position with relation to the point ofthe frogcomprising an inverted channel-shaped, rigidity'- ing member adapted tobe fitted over one of the cross-ties of the track-way and ex tendingtransversely of the track on a line drawn through the point of said frogat right angles to the running rails, and means for securing saidrigidifying member to the gua-rd rail and frog structure with capacityforrelative adjustment asy between thesaid guard rail andfrog'structure.

10. The combination with a frog structure interposed in a rail at oneside of a railway track and a guard rail arranged adjacent the runningrail at the opposite sideof the track, of means movable independently otsaid running rail for securing said guard rail in ixed position withrelation to said frog structure whereby said running rail may move withrelation to the guard rail without aiiecting the position ot the guardail with relation to said frog structure.

11. The combination with a. rogi'structure interposed between railsections at one side of a railway track and a guard rail arrangedadjacent a running rail at the opposite Vside of the track, of means forsecuring said guard rail in fixed position with relation to said frogstructure with capacity for relative movement between the guard rail andsaid f running rail comprising a transverse rigidi-I fying memberextending under the running rail and frog structure, and means forsecuring said guard rail and said frog structure to said rigidifyingmember.

l2. The combination with a frog structure of a railway track and a guardrail, oi means for securing the guard rail to said frog structurecomprising a rigiditying membei` 'extending transversely of the track,and means for attaching-the guard rail to the rigidifying membercomprising a brace engaging the vertical web of the rail and secured tosaid'rigidifying member.

13. The combination with a frog structure of a railway track and a guardrail, of means for securing said guard rail to said frog structurecomprising a rigidifying member extending transversely of the track, andmeans ttor attaching the guard rail to the rigidifying member comprisinga brace conforming to the contour of the vertical Web and one of thebase flanges of the rail and secured to said rigidifying member.

14. The combination with a frog structure of a railway track and a guardrail, of means for securing the guard rail to the frog structurecomprising an inverted channel bar eX- tending across the track andunder the base flange of said guard rail and formed With an upstandingportion providing an abutment for the outside flange of the guard railbase, means for securing the guard rail to said channel bar comprising acast metal brace member conforming to the contour of the vertical weband inner base flange of the guard rail, secured to the guard rail andto said channel bar, and means for adjustably securing said channel barto said frog structure.

l5. rThe combination with a frog structure of a railway track and aguard rail, of means for securing the guard rail to the frog structurecomprising an inverted channel bar eX- tending across the track, meansJfor attaching the guard rail to said channel bar, and means foradjustably securing said channel bar to the frog structure comprising aWedge member adapted to be driven between said frog structure and anabutment on said channel bar.

16. The combination with a frog structure of a railway track and a guardrail, of means for securing the guard rail to the Jfrog structurecomprising an inverted channel bar extending across the track, means forattaching the guard rail to said channel bar, and means tor adjustablysecuring said channel bar to the frog structure comprising Wedge memberson opposite sides of the frog structure adapted to be driven betweensaid frog structure and abutments formed on said channel bar.

17. The combination with a frog structure of a railway track and a guardrail, of means for securing the guard rail to the frog structurecomprising an inverted channel bar extending across the track, means forattaching the guard rail to said channel bar, and means for adjustablysecuring said channel bar to the frog structure comprising wedge memberson opposite sides or" the frog structure adapted to be driven betweensaid frog structure and abutments formed on said channel bar; said Wedgemembers and channel bar being formed With oppositely disposed openingsfor receiving rail spikes whereby said Wedge members may be secured intheir Wedging position by rail spikes driven into the cross-ties.

18. A bracing structure of the character described, comprising a channelbar adapted to be fitted over a cross-tie and extend under the runningand guard rails at one side of the track, and under a rail frogstructure at the opposite side of the track, means for securing theguard rail structure to the channel bar, and means for securing the railfrog construction to the channel bar; the portion of said channel baradjacent the guard rail being provided With spike slots whereby the saidrunning rail may be spiked to said cross-tie With capacity for movementwith relation to the guard rail.

HAROLD G. VVARR.

